The Village
by BinahLight
Summary: A story about life in a small AC: WW village, Phaffey.
1. The Lily

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Animal Crossing or any related games and/or companies

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Animal Crossing or any related games and/or companies. These belong to Nintendo.

Story is made up from my super complex mind. Just kidding. Enjoy!

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The Village

Chapter 1: The Lily

She waited. It was summer in Phaffey and raining, which made it difficult for the 34 year old amphibian Lily to leave her house and visit her friends. She lived on the edge of the ocean, hands down the best view in all of Phaffey. Since moving to the town in December of 2005 (she was one of the first three original villagers, now only two remain) she has seen countless faces come and go. Now, in this rainy and humid July weather, she was thinking about her place in the village. She was never very outspoken, and at the annual town meetings she hardly voiced her opinion. Despite this, she was loved all throughout Phaffey for her wit, knowledge and ability to resolve conflicts. She was, as you might say, the town psychologist, and at any given time you could find any "Phaffian" setting on her couch, spilling their secrets and finding solutions from "Dr. Lily". But this day, she had some problems of her own.

"Looks like Oskar is back." remarked the frog. Oskar was the founding human in the village who was recently away for 5 months on an "expedition" of some sorts. His return was front page news in "The Phaffey Weekly", a local news paper which printed local stories, events and happenings of the sort. Oskar's return was huge news for reasons personal to Lily and the village. While he was away, the village's economy had tanked, with housing values falling and Tom Nook raising prices in his shop. Personally, though, it touched Lily deep in her heart. It was known around town that she had a crush on Oskar, a crush that was never returned from him. It started out as a business affair, with the both of them working to improve Phaffey in its earliest stages. But it turned in to something more….. And out of all the animals and people who have moved and left Phaffey since its founding, Lily liked Oskar the most. Well he was back, and, thought Lily; maybe the village would improve it's imagine. As she was thinking this, the rain ceased.

"Good thing the rain is over. I think I will go say hi to the new guy in town, Bones, I believe?" Bones has just moved in, it was announced in the newspaper, and Lily wanted to be the first to introduce herself and to him and the town. She put on her mud boots, a coat, walked outside and locked her door.

Phaffey was great. It was a huge town, with the River Phaffey cutting into two, making a sort of island. Dubbed "Isla Phaffey", the homes there were the most expensive in the city and home to two of her residents, Puddles the Frog and Camofrog the Frog. Peaces were the naïve fruit, but apples, cherries, oranges and even coconuts grew in the town. Phaffey has tons of trees, and was once even mentioned as the most tree friendly city in all of Animal Crossing. Lily took out her map and discovered that Bones lived next to Oskar. She started walking and in no time came upon the town's gossiper and local "bitch", in the words of Camofrog, Whitney the Wolf. Tall, thin and bossy, she was a site to behold. At 42, she was the second oldest Phaffian, next to Camofrog, who clocked in at 49.

"Oh hi, Lily!" shouted Whitney. She was wearing a designer Gracie outfit, which probably cost about the same as Lily's mortgage payment.

"Hi, Whitney, how are you?"

"Good. My, what weather we are having. Rain one minute, sun the next. Can't they make up their mind! Say, isn't that a new dress?" said the grey furred wolf. The dress Lily had on was, of course, not up to standard with Whitney. It was bought from the Able Sisters, local design.

"Yes. It isn't much. I'm going over to Bones' house; he is the new person in town. Have you been?" asked Lily.

"No, but I got a glance at him, and he is a mega hottie. Talk about a tall glass of water on a hot day! It is about time we got some new, fresh meat around here. Getting kinda sick of seeing Bill without a shirt on when I first get up in the morning. Now what I mean, baby Lily?"

The conversation, if you could call it that, was now getting uncomfortable for Lily, so she said good bye to the wolf and continued walking. In no time she arrived at the house of Bones. The outside was nice, with a few flowers planted around on the outside. The top of the house had been painted recently, and there was an apple tree growing in a little garden by the side of his home. Good, a fellow gardener, thought Lily. She approached the house, and being shy, knocked on the door. She could hear the faint sound of music playing, could it be a K.K. classic?

"Just a minute!" yelled Bones. Lily took in the fresh air brought from the rain through her gills. She tried to fix any wrinkles in her dress that hung tightly around her 5 foot 3 inch body. She had brought new wall paper as a gift, a sort of "house warming" present. Someone stumbled to the door, and opened it.

"Hello. You must be Bones. My name is Lily. Welcome to Phaffey." Lily extended her paw, shaking hands with the dog. He was almost six feet tall, and had a patch around his eye. His clothes were messy, with dirt and other grime stuck to his plain white tee, no doubt a result from the move

"Oh, hello! Nice to meet you."

"I brought a "welcome to Phaffey" gift for you. Here, hope you enjoy." Lily gave the wrapped gift to Bones, who put it under his arm.

"Wow; thank you much! That's very, very nice. Say, would you like to come in? It's messy, but we can find you a chair."

"I would very much like that." Lily was first struck by the mountains of boxes. The living room was large, with a fire place, very uncommon in Phaffey. There was a small kitchen behind the living room, with a bathroom attached to the kitchen. Bones' bedroom was behind that. Lily found the house to be wonderful; in fact, one of the nicer homes she had seen, though smaller then her own.

"Would you like something to drink? Apple juice? Maybe a cherry tonic?" asked Bones. He had brought her a simple, red chair. It was dark in the house, as a result from the lack of light. Tom Nook had a nasty reputation about turning on new villager's electricity and other utilities.

"Water would be fine. So, how do you like Phaffey thus far?

"It's actually nice. Nice trees, OK people. Say, who's the bitchy white wolf who wears too much makeup?"

Lily giggled. "Oh, that's Whitney. You will get to know her soon enough. So, if you don't mind me asking, why Phaffey?" inquired Lily.

Bones, yelling from the kitchen: "To tell you the truth, the price of my house. Rock bottom cheap here if you haven't noticed. Totally stole it for 189,000 bells. Easy mortgage payments, no hassle. So, what is there to do in this town?"

He brought her drink, taking a few sips: "I know what you mean. I am a founding citizen. Still paying on my house though. I have an ocean view (this impressed Bones) so I will be making the payments for a while. To answer your question, not a lot. You can fish, catch insects, get a drink of coffee, strong apple cider or get a bite to eat at The Roost, or if you are ever locked into a state of permanent boredom, you can come to our monthly town meetings. Those are great. Everybody is yelling, somebody always ends up crying, it's really fun. Not the crying part, but the experience. So, how old are you? What do you do for work?"

"I'm 25. Work? Ha. If I could find a job. I used to work full time for the old museum back home, but I quit. Hated the work. Hate working, to be honest. The idea of a perfect job is to set home and do nothing. Watching TV and eating a big bag of chips. So, Lily, its Lily, right? Lily, tell me about the people who live here. Who to avoid, who I should hang out with? Give me the dirty details." said Bones.

"People here are generally nice. Let me see….. There is Oskar, the human and founder. He's nice, really great company. Then there is Bill, a funny duck who loves to work out. Next to him is another new villager, Jitters. I've only talked to him a few times. Pudge lives next to him. Pudge is dynamite; he is also a founding citizen. He will bend over backwards for you. Though he tried that one time, it wasn't too good. Whitney, the wolf, very wealthy, she is….interesting. Then there is me. Not too much to say about me. Camofrog and Puddles live on the island. They are both great. To tell you the truth, we are all unique. I love it here." Besides being lazy and a little dirty, Lily thought Bones was alright. She hoped he would like it here. She took another drink of her cherry tonic, and shifted in her chair. The house was a little cold.

"Cool, sounds like I picked a good place to live. Sorry there is not much to do. Wait until I am done packing." said Bones.

"You know, now that you mention it, I will get out of your fur. Give you some more time to unpack, rest and get use to it here. Thank you so much for the drink Bones. It was a pleasure meeting you. If you every need anything, come visit me. I am also listed in the Phaffey phone book, as are everybody else. Give me a call. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy your first night in Phaffey. You will fit right in, I know it." Lily got up to leave, putting her glass on the chair

"Thanks a bunch Lily. It means a lot to me that you came over and introduced yourself. I will keep the call thing in mind." Bones walked the petit frog to the door.

"Have a good night, Bones."

"You too, my new and favorite neighbor."

She heard the door "click" behind her. It was staring to drizzle again. She pushed her coat over her eyes and ran home. The rain was coming down harder and harder now, and turned back into a full storm by the time she got home. Lily took off her coat, hung it up on her coat rack and checked the time. 5:46 PM. Time for dinner, commonly held as the best time of day in Lily's house.

Lily's home was quite nice, at least by Phaffey standards. She had her main room, called the living room, and a full sized kitchen, the biggest in town. She was a cook by profession, going to Animal University to receive her training and certificate. She then had a bathroom, quite big, which was connected to her bedroom, with two large closets. Another rarity she had was a computer. Only Oskar had one as did the museum. They were expensive, and she won one by being named 2006 "Phaffey Citizen of the Year." She had a guest bedroom, which was becoming more and more common in modern houses. All in all, her house was about 4,000 square feet, the third largest home in Phaffey (Whitney and Oskar's being the biggest.)

The phone rang while she was in the kitchen. She ran to get it, almost tripping over a vase Pudge gave her last year for her birthday.

"Lily speaking."

"Hi, Lily. This is Bones again. Hey, let me throw a question at you, is that cool?" Bones asked.

"Sure, go ahead."

"I know this is kind of inappropriate, me being new and all, and I know you probably have a million other people asking you this, but……" Bones was nervous, and what Lily couldn't see was that he was holding on to a chair, his body shaking so much.

"Go ahead. Don't worry, I won't laugh."

"What I'm trying to say is that….Well…..Um……What I would like to ask you, if you have time and want to…….What I mean is that would you like to go out for a cup of coffee with me tomorrow at The Roost? Nook said it was the best around, and I thought it would be fun. It's OK if you can't come, though, I will understand…" said the very, very nervous Bones.

"Well gosh. Sure, I would love to go with you! It will be fun. Should I bring anything?" asked Lily.

"Just you BURNING desire for some coffee! Get it, burning, because coffee is hot and burns if you drink it too fast? Ha ha ha. I should do comedy for a living." Bones could hardly contain himself.

"That is quite funny! OK, I'll meet you there at 7 PM tomorrow; is that good for you?"

"That's looks pretty good to me. Cool, this will be so much fun! Hey, maybe if you like it, we can go to the K.K. concert this weekend?"

"We will see. Ok, see you tomorrow Mr. Bones."

"You too. Thanks again Lily. I feel really lucky to be in a village with someone so nice and caring. Good night, and see you later." Bones said. Never before had he asked someone out like this. Wait, he mentally asked himself, is this a date? Better not ask; might ruin and spoil the moment.

"Thank you, and you sleep well too." She hung up the phone. Smiling, Lily walked back into her kitchen.

Suddenly, Phaffey just become a much, much better place.

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Authors note: So, what did you think? I know it was kinda boring, but I was trying to lay out the characters and plot. Review me, and I will update often. There will be more chapters and stories about the residents of Phaffey. Stay tuned!


	2. A New Life

A/N: After much thought, I have decided to focus the story around Bones and his life

A/N: After much thought, I have decided to focus the story around Bones and his life. I did this for a few reasons. One, it would give us an inside to what a common animal does on a daily basis, two, I think Bones represents a lot of people and ideas and three, it will be easier for me to write and you to read. Hope you continue to enjoy and read, and as always; let me know what you think!

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The Village

Chapter 2: A New Life

It was a rough first night. Bones finished packing around midnight; by then he was tired and in a bad mood. When he tried to catch some sleep, the rain and thoughts of Lily kept him up until three in the morning. He finally did fall asleep, waking at 9:07 am. Upon getting out of bed, he had a terrible headache, and found relief by eating cold, left over pizza. He walked over to his window, looking out. The rain had stopped, leaving no trace of the rain storm the night before. It was sunny in Phaffey, and from his window, Bones could see some of his neighbors. Today, he thought, he would meet his local Phaffians. Tonight, he hadn't forgotten, was his coffee date with Lily.

Bones quickly tossed on a simple, wavy shirt he brought from home. Home. That was a touchy word in Bones' world. He had lived in his old village for two years, and, to be quite frank, he enjoyed it. The beach, the sun, the trees, the people, they were all wonderful. However, and Bones learned this the hard way, all good things must come to an end. He could no longer afford to live in the village, as a result of him losing his job and fallout with the mayor. He moved, taking what little money and possessions he had with him and stayed with his parents for six months, until, as fate would have it, he saw an opening in Phaffey. Quickly he applied for the spot, and must to his delight he was accepted. With help from his parents for the down payment to his house, he was on his way and once again a home owner. His monthly payments came to 10,000 Bells, a huge amount considering he didn't have a job. The little money in his bank account could keep him going for three months maximum, but after that, he was on his own. Despite what he wanted to believe, he had to find work, hopefully in town with Tom Nook or another business. Only time would tell.

He got dressed and walked outside. Careful to lock his door, he turned around and faced the day. One bad thing about Phaffey, and all citizens could agree on this, was that it got hot in the summer time. It could easily top the nineties and early hundreds. Despite this, Phaffey was great. Now Bones would experience his new home for the first time. He got two feet from his door when a brown duck approached him.

"Hi there new neighbor! Name's Bill." Bill said, showing his famous "get in your face" approach to life.

"Hello, Bill, my name is Bones. Great to meet you." Bones extended his paw, shaking Bill's wing.

"Cool, nice to meet you too Bones. Like the name. Hey, maybe some time you can come over and help me arrange my weights? Darn HRA is breathing down my feathers again."

"That sounds great. Let me know when and where." Bones walked off, excited to explore his surroundings. As Lily said, peaches grew in great abundance. He also saw an Orange tree, some pears (his favorite) and a few cherry trees. He continued to walk along the Phaffey River, taking in its beautiful, crystal clear blue water. As he would find out, a few years ago, after a high level of pollution was discovered in the water, and after some animals had been taken to the hospital, Phaffey spent almost half a million Bells to restore the purity of the water. It had been a massive success, and on any given summer day, you could see any number of villagers lounging by the waterfall, swimming and enjoying a picnic.

Bones met Puddles, a red frog with a quirky personality, and Camofrog, who, until recently, was a commander in the Animal Reserve Corps. Both were polar opposites, Puddles always being happy, with Camofrog always angry, complaining from the noise of the ocean (strangely enough, he lives on the shore of the beach) to the quirkiness of his fellow neighbors. Both were great though, and Bones stumbled onto both of them in the middle of an argument.

"No, stupid! See, you don't have the right technique! To catch the maximum number of fish, you _must _use your back!" shouted Puddles.

"What do stupid little girls know about manly fishing? It's all in the arms!" retorted Camofrog. Bones was near by, unfortunately.

"You, dog with the patch, come, and quick!" said Camofrog.

"Um, OK." Bones walked over, a little nervous. He wasn't sure what to expect.

"Ok, what is your name?" asked Puddles.

"Bones, my name is Bones. I just move….."

"Who gives a crap?! Bones, what is the right technique, back or in the arms?" asked Camofrog.

"I really don't know, I would probably say in the arms. At least, that is the way I fish. But I haven't been in a while, so it might have changed." Bones said.

"Geez, man? Where is your sense of male pride? Get outta here! GET, NOW!!" barked Camofrog.

In a flash, Bones was off. He continued to walk by the river, even going to the museum. Phaffey's museum was worlds ahead of the last one. With many, many different types of fish and fossils, with a few insects and paintings, it was a great place to spend time. Back home, the museum was underfunded and a joke. At least here, they had _something. _After the tour, he started back home. The air was clean, and the sun shown brightly in the sky. It was almost noon, time for lunch.

He met Pudge, who was a larger then life bear, who was to become a best friend of Bones'. Oskar, the human, stopped by and introduced himself. He brought a gift, a Regal Sofa, as a house warming present. Whitney and Bill came by, and by high noon, he was well introduced to the town. Pelly, at the post office, helped to set up his bank account, and he found the mayor to be a delight. Sable and Mable owned the tailor shop, and, to his interest, had a paid intern position opening up. After lunch, he decided to stop by and ask for the position. Hey, couldn't hurt, could it?

The Able Sisters owned the largest clothing shop in town. Phaffians came for all occasions to buy and sell their clothes and to buy new designs. The Able Sisters had something for everybody. People could also design and sell their own fashions, turning them into little fashion designers. On this hot July afternoon, Bones dropped in.

"Welcome to the Able Sisters Clothing and More!" Mabel, the blue hedgehog, said. Nice and compassionate, Mable embodied all good things in a business owner. Her sister, Sable, was more quiet and did the sewing in the business, leaving her busy much during the normal business hours. Once you got to know her, though, she had a warm heart.

"Hello. Wow, this is a nice thing you got going!" exclaimed Bones.

"Thanks. Say, you're not from around here, huh?" asked Mabel. Sable looked up at this, eyeing Bones from top to bottom.

"No, just moved in yesterday. They call me Bones."

"Great! My name is Mable, and that is the hardest working woman in the clothing industry, my sister Sable. We are sisters and we started, manage and run the place." explained Mable. For the next 20 minutes, Mable explained what they do, what they sell, how to design clothes and what and how to sell them.

"Sounds like quite the process. Say, I was reading the bulletin board by town hall and you were looking to fill a position. Some intern of some kind?" Bones asked.

"Oh yes, the internship. It's from Monday through Friday, 5 pm to 10 pm. Weekends off. 500 Bells per day, your duties would include helping us lay out material, helping customers and running errands. We put the ad up yesterday, and will run it till' until Sunday. In fact, at this Saturday's town meeting, we are going to make an announcement. If you want, we can take your phone number and call you or you can just come in." Mable said.

500 Bells a day. That would be enough. Let's see, 5 days a week would be 2,500 Bells, and one month would be 10,000 Bells, enough for his mortgage payment. Of course, he wouldn't have any money for the frills and luxuries, but that would be alright. He could sell fruit or fish part time. "Great! I'll give you my number. Please call me when you are hiring." Bones took the pad and pen from Mable and wrote his contact info. He gave it to her, shook her hand, wished Sable a peaceful evening and walked out the door.

The evening air was cool and calm. Bones could hear the faint chirp of a cricket, and the smooth, calm rushing of the river. A light breeze took hold of Phaffey, as the sky was turning a light shade of orange and purple. He walked back to his house; most of the resident's in theirs already. As he was coming to the door, he saw that he had new mail. Reaching inside his red mailbox, he drew two new letters. One was greenish-grey and the other pink. He opened the green one first:

_Dear Bones,_

_I am so sorry to say that I must cancel our engagement tonight. I am terribly sick as a result of me staying out late last night. I really want to go get some coffee with you though. Maybe a rain check? So sorry for the inconvenience, I'll stop by when I get better. Thank you SO much for understanding!_

_Love,_

_Lily_

"Oh that bites. Hope she is feeling better….." Bones opened the pink letter. Stepping inside to read it, he turned on his light on sat down. He started to read the perfume laden letter:

_Dear Phaffey Resident,_

_It's that time of year again! The annual summer game is here! I know, I know, hold your applause and gasps. This year, back by popular demand, is the "Me Against The Ocean Challenge." For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, we stand out on wooden platforms in the ocean (15 feet high) and the last Phaffian standing will receive this year's grand prize: 30,000 Bells. Lot's of other goodies will be given out at the contest as well. Get lots of sleep, and see you at the Isla Phaffey beach NO LATER than 11:30 am. The challenge will start at noon sharply. Good luck to you all and see you tomorrow. _

_Winner to receive gloating rights all year!_

_The Phaffey Chamber of Commerce_

_P.S. Because you WILL get wet, we highly, highly advise you to wear something you can swim in. Lifeguards on duty._

Bones had to reread the letter. 30,000 Bells. Although a low figure for some, it would help Bones and give him some "financial protection." He had to win. He had to prove himself to the others. No doubt all of Phaffey would be there. It will be hard, yes, but the payoff was great. Determined, he stuck the letter to his refrigerator. Reading it once more, he went inside his bedroom to find his swimming shorts.

Tomorrow, the whole town would see what he was made of.


	3. Me Against The Ocean

The Village

The Village

Chapter 3: Me Against The Ocean

Bones woke on that July 3rd morning feeling excited and nervous. Today was the challenge, and today was the day that she was going to prove just how tough he was. Bones woke at 8 am, made some bacon and eggs, and sat and had a nice breakfast. He peered outside his window in his living room, revealing a nice, clear day. He could see Bill, who had just returned from running laps at the beach and Pudge, who was talking to Puddles and laughing.

He finished his plate and put it into the sink, heading to his bedroom. He took his swimming shorts and a plain white shirt and laid them on his freshly made bed. Since he was a little puppy, he had always strived for a clean room, now a house, which was rare for his age. But a clean room was the last thing on his mind this morning, as thoughts raced through his mind for the upcoming game. He could literally taste and hold the 30,000 Bells, money which, if won, could give him a free ride for a while. But, he knew, he couldn't get his hopes up, and the best thing to do was to play the hardest he could and stay on course.

Deciding that he needed some orange juice, he headed for Tom Nook's. Under his store, Nook has a miniature market, complete with all basics and luxuries one could expect to find at more upscale stores.

"Howdy Bones!" greeted Mr. Nook. To Bones, there was something about Tom Nook, something he couldn't quite put his paw on…..

"Hi Mr. Nook. Just came to pick up some orange juice." said Bones.

"Yes, of course. Say, Bones, how is the job hunting coming along?" asked Tom Nook.

Just how in the world could he know that he was looking for a job? Who was he talking to? "Um, good, I guess. I didn't knew that you knew."

"Oh, Bones, Mable is a good friend of mine! Besides, you will soon to find out that I know _everything _that goes on in _my _town." Nook had a glee in his eye. Giving an "I-am-scared-for-my-life-so-I-better-get-the-heck-out-of-here" smile, Bones went to the basement, where the store was located.

Isles and isles of food awaited him, from the most simple of fruit, to rich, creamy desserts. Not wanting to stay longer that he would like, Bones got the juice and left. After giving Nook 100 Bells (tax was low), he was on his way. Before he left, though, Nook had something to say.

"Come again! I trust you will be competing today?" Tom Nook asked.

"Yes I will. Will you be coming and watching?" thinking Tom Nook was too old to play.

"Maybe. I trust, though, if you win, I will get a hefty portage payment. I'll look forward to it."

"Okay." He left the store, happy to be out of there. Mornings were quiet in Phaffey, very peaceful, very "low key." Just the way Bones liked them. When he got home, Bones filled a glass with orange juice and sat to watch TV, when……

**BLAM, BLAM, BLAM!!**

Someone was pounding at his door, like he had never heard before. Bones got up, went to the door, and opened it. It was Bill.

"Oh, your home! Can I use your bathroom?" Bill was doing a funny dance, hopping from one foot to the other.

"Why can't you use yours? You only live a few seconds from me." Bones said.

Before Bill could reply, he bolted into the house, and headed for the bathroom. 10 minutes later, he heard a flush, and Bill walked out to where Bones was watching TV.

"Say, thanks man. I was doing some laps and power squats, and a feeling came over me, like I was going to blow my pants. You are a savior. Say, are you going to the event today?" asked Bill.

"No problem. Glad I could help. Yes, in fact I am. I take it you are too?"

"Oh yea. Wouldn't miss it. My first summer game, so kinda excited. I moved to Phaffey in the winter of last year, so I was too late. Say, now that I am here, I heard it from Whitney, who heard it from Puddles, who probably got it from Jitters that you and Lily are an "item." What's up with that?"

Bones was soon to find out the Phaffey "talked." Almost nothing was kept secret, and all darkness came to light, such as who was dating who and who had money problems. "No, she and I are just friends. She was the first Phaffian to introduce herself to me."

"Sure." Bill gave him a wink and walked out. Geez, though Bones, people in this town sure had a weird way of making greetings and exits.

He decided to watch some TV until 11:30 am. He watched his favorite TV show, _Cousins, _which had become the most successful television program in the history of the country.

Soon, though, it was time to get ready. He put on his blue and green surf trunks, his white shirt, got a towel, and slid into his brown flip-flops. He locked his door, and went to the beach. When he arrived, Lily and Pudge were already there. Lily was wearing her bathing suit, covered with a long, long white over shirt, and Pudge wore his "swim pants" as he called them and a brown swimming shirt.

"Hey, Bones!" greeted Pudge.

"Hi, Bones, glad you're here," Lily said.

"You kidding? I Wouldn't miss this for the world. So, are we the only ones that have arrived?" asked Bones.

"Yea, for now." Lily answered.

The mayor came a few minutes later, followed by Oskar. Oskar was to be a judge; the mayor was master of ceremonies. It was 11:36. In 5 minutes, the whole village was there. A little stage was set up on the coast of the water so the mayor could address the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Thanks you for coming to the 3rd annual "Phaffey Summer Challenge", it's a pleasure having you here," A few animals clapped, "The name of the game is "Me Against The Ocean" and the prize if, of course, 30,000 Bells." The Mayor said. Bill smiled.

"Could you explain the rules again, sir?" asked Lily.

"Yes, of course Lillian. In 10 minutes, a boat, supplied by Guardsman Copper, will take you to the eight platforms in the ocean. You have each been randomly assigned a platform. You will climb up, and when I say go, you will stand. The last person standing will win. The rules are no moving, sitting or jumping to another platform. You may talk, but people, let's keep it tasteful, okay? (He looked at Camofrog.) Have fun, and in…….8 minutes, the boat will take you out there. Good luck." The Mayor stepped down from the stage, which was no more then a cardboard box, and joined the crowd. Oskar was wishing everybody good luck and shaking their paws, flippers and wings. The time went quick, and soon they boarded the boat.

Lily, Whitney, Pudge, Bill, Jitters, Bones, Puddles and Camofrog were about to do battle, Phaffey style. The platforms, 15 feet high, we about 30 feet from the shore, enough so any person could swim to safety. Luckily, they could _all _swim, so there wouldn't be any deaths today. They arrived at the platforms.

Copper spoke first. "Jitters, here you are, the first one, farthest to the right." Jitters, a bird, climbed out the boat and wished everybody good luck.

He rowed to the second platform. "Whitney, you will be here." Refusing help out of the boat, she said, in her "Whitney Way": "Good luck little children."

"I give her 10 minutes." Camofrog joked. Pudge laughed.

"Next to Whitney is Pudge." The brown bear climbed out of the boat and climbed the latter. Game time.

"Bones, you're up next." At least he was by one of his friends, thought Bones.

Puddles was next to Bones, with Bill next to her, Camofrog next to her, and Lily next to him. It was 11:57. Three minutes until it was time "to dance." Bill did jumping jacks, Whitney sat for the last time, Lily prayed, and Camofrog looked into the sky. Sunny, blue skies, and hot.

"Ready?" asked Oskar.

"Yes!" the all said in unison.

"Get ready…three….two…one…..**start!" **They were underway.

12:06. Time went slowly by, with some singing softly, others staring up at the sky, some looking out at the horizon. One could see all of Phaffey from the platforms. The trees, the houses, even "Nookington's." It was breathtaking. Pelly and Tom Nook came to watch, with Nook bring some chairs.

12:15. Up there for fifteen minutes, Puddles decided to count the number of waves that came into shore. Pudge was thinking what he would spend the money on and Whitney worrying about her makeup. At 42 years old, she had on a tight bikini, with Camofrog quick to notice.

"Say, Whit, you a little old to be wearing that?" asked Camofrog. He was asking for it.

"Excuse me?"

"I just wanted to know why you are wearing that; you're a little old and it's kind of revealing, now if Puddles had that on….."

"You creep! You're my neighbor!" yelled Puddles.

"Don't **EVER **talk to me like that again. Mind your own business. That's none of your concern what I'm wearing." Whitney was in a huff, looking out into the distance.

Camofrog smirked. It would be an interesting day. Bones turned to Pudge.

"You ever catch the frog you were after this morning?"

"No; he got away. I was close though. Puddles ended up catch one though." Pudge said.

"What? I heard my name?"

"Nothing, Puddles. Nothing at all." Bones told her.

12:28. Whitney was starting to feel it on her legs. She passed pressure from one leg to another.

The Mayor got onto the megaphone. "Good job everyone! You have been up there for almost half an hour. But, to make things interesting, I have 5,000 Bells here. Whoever steps of first can have it." Bill looked to Lily, who looked to Camofrog, who gave her the middle finger. Nobody moved.

12:39. It was now really, really hot, with Bones sweating buckets. "Wish I could jump in and cool off." he thought. The ocean was dark blue, and he could see the faintest outlines of fish swimming below. Whitney was hurting. The pain had spread to her back, and unlike her feet, there was no relief. At 44 minutes into the game, the mayor cam back on the megaphone.

"The 5,000 Bells are still up for grabs! Plus, Mable just bought cheese pizza; winner can have his or her own box!" This proved too temping for Whitney.

"You guys, I'm going for it. It's been a blast, but my feet and back are killing me. I'm much too delicate for this. Good luck!" She jumped off and swam to shore. She was given a check which she could cash at town hall, and her very own cheese pizza. Pizza has never looked so good before thought Pudge, who was hungry.

"Typical, I KNEW she would be the first person out, she's such a piece of chicken shi….." Camofrog was interrupted by Lily.

"**Don't **say it. Whitney was a team player. She lasted for 45 minutes." Camofrog looked over at Lily, and cursed her under his breath.

12:56. Whitney was almost done with the pizza, and was chatting with Mable.

"I bet Pudge is the next one gone." said Whitney.

"I don't know. Jitters looks like he is in pain." returned Mable.

Jitters could feel it in his wings. At 32, he was the one of the oldest still playing. Always active, he failed to "prep" for the mental part: That is, keeping your body standing against what your mind might want.

Bill was going over each Phaffians age in his head. Lily was 34, he was 27, Puddles was 23, Bones was 25, Pudge was 28, Camofrog was 49, Jitters was 32. Those were the players. Whitney was 42, Tom Nook 53, the Mayor 65, Sable and Mable 39, Pelly 24, and Blathers was 58. Young town, Bill thought. But his mind was on the players. According to age, Camofrog should drop next. But 30 years in the military had made him hard; so he doubted it. Jitters was always working on his body too, but lately, his face was showing signs of pain. Lily was petit; she would go down any hour. Puddles once was said to have lifted twice her body weight, which made Bill nervous. Pudge was a little overweight, so he wouldn't be a problem, and he didn't know too much about Bones. Easy competition, Bill thought.

1:04. "Great job!" yelled the Mayor.

The sky was turning a light shade of grey. Not a good sign.

"You know, for living in Phaffey for almost 3 years, I have almost never seen Tom Nook outside his store. He doesn't come to the town meetings, and for the rare civil celebration that we have, he is there either. It's just weird. Nor does he come to the holiday party in December." Pudge was rambling, and, in fact, Tom Nook rarely did come to any public event. Considering he was a huge source of income for the town.

"Will you shut up?" Camofrog was staring to feel a little throbbing in his back. Pudge smirked and looked away.

Time was slowly going by, made not easier by Puddles singing, which prompted a lot of angry responses from Camofrog, with Lily and Pudge remembering the old days of Phaffey.

"Do you remember Bella?" asked Pudge.

"Oh yea. She was a little bizarre. Do you remember the time that she and Olivia were caught sneaking into the village with clothes from the next town over? Copper had a fit. Maybe that is why we get taxed for bring stuff in…."Lily said.

"Good times, good times. I remember when Kabuki passed out and had to be taken to the hospital. He charged all his bills to the town! The Mayor was ticked." said Pudge.

Despite the stories, time still crawled by.

By two in the afternoon, the Mayor brought out another gift. "Two hours! Doing great. For anyone interested, I have a new Gracie design here! The dress is worth 7,500 Bells AND I also have a 2,500 Bell gift certificate for anything at The Roost. Any takers?" This was tempting.

I really need a new dress, thought Puddles. Very, very tempting. However nobody moved. It was still early in the game.

"Okay, last chance!" yelled the Mayor.

"Bite me!" Camofrog yelled back.

It was 2 pm. Bones shifted from leg to leg, trying to keep busy. Bill was staring straight ahead. Pudge was closing his eyes and practicing mediation techniques.

By three in the afternoon, Pudge was done. Complaining of leg cramps, very hungry and having a headache, he waited for a prize from the Mayor. He got his wish.

"That money and dress is still up in the air!"

"Good bye everybody, it's been really fun." Pudge jumped into the sea, swam to shore, and got his prizes. Luckily for him, Mable brought sandwiches, and he went quickly to work. Only six remained now.

Rain was coming down now, which only added to their misery.

3:28 pm. Bill had kept his mind busy, a key for this challenge. If you let your mind wander, it was over for you. He kept focused on the prize.

When 3:45 came, almost four hours into the game, Jitters was in trouble. He could no longer feel his legs, and his face spoke of agony. He had to win, he really did. It was raining harder now, which only doubled his suffering. He turned to look at Puddles, who looked back at him.

"What's up?" she said.

"It hurts, bad." Jitters said.

Without missing a beat, Puddles simply said: "You know what to do."

At 4:02, after Tom Nook came over the speaker and promised a 10,000 Bell gift card to his shop, Jitters went over. He reached the shore, where the Mayor had a big tent sent up, space heaters working, and apple flavored champagne.

Now it was down to the final five. Surreally, it was Camofrog who spoke next.

"I'm surprised Tom has that kind of money."

Bill turned his heard toward him. "What do you mean?"

Giving a laugh, Camofrog replied: "Nook took out a loan to cover himself. Business was bad, Oskar was gone, the town was falling apart, nobody wanted to be here, and the Mayor considered shutting down for good. It's funny that he is throwing money around like it's going out of style."

"I always shopped in there though." said Lily.

"Sure, but did you spend a lot of money?"

"Well, not always, but…"

"But nothing. Did you know that he only keeps 75 of what he makes? The rest goes to some corporate office. That 75 has to pay him, the upkeep for the shop _and _help the Phaffey economy?" Camofrog said.

"I didn't know that." said Bill.

"Oh yea. It's so important to us, that we have nearly half of our economy in his shop. It's that bad. So, to put in terms that you thick skulls can understand, without Oskar coming back and us shopping there, we would have to find a new place to live." Camofrog, getting angry with his neighbors, explained.

"Wow, I never looked at it like that. And to think, I've been living here since the beginning." Lily, a little sad, said.

Camofrog laughed at her and went back to the game.

Five hours into the challenge, Bill, usually quiet, was in trouble. Use to harsh training exercises, nothing could prepare him for this. Standing for five hours without moving had taken its toll, and now he was feeling it.

Then, the prize that the Mayor offered caught Bones' ear. He came over the megaphone: "Great job everyone! I have a little something here that you might enjoy! I have discussed this with Mr. Nook, and the first one to step down with get a month's mortgage slashed!" Never before had a prize been calling them like this one. You could see the thinking in all of their faces; they all owed something on their homes. But nobody moved. Except Bones. He was about to take a step forward when he heard a splash. He looked to his left, Puddles and Camofrog were still there, and he looked to his right, Bill and…….

Lily. Without saying anything, she jumped. Crap, thought Bones. It was down to the final four. The rain had stopped by now, but the sun was setting. The sky turned shades of orange and blue. On the shore, Nook brought cooked fish for them all enjoy.

And oh wasn't Bones hungry.

As hour six came upon them, it was 5:47; the shore was having a full blown party.

"Idiots. At least we know who the failures in the town are." said Camofrog.

"Looks like were the idiots, standing up here for……" Camofrog shot Puddles a glare.

Then, another surprise, when Puddles suddenly announced she would be leaving the game. "Good luck, and all the best!" The last woman in the competition took herself out. Only three remained.

Bill, Bones and Camofrog were all in pain. Bones looked into the sea, which was turning a dark, dark shade of blue. Bill counted from 1 to 100 backwards, and Camofrog thought about his time in the military.

7:04 pm. Over _7 _hours they had been there. Bones was now so hungry that it consumed his thoughts. Carp, with an orange flavored paste, and sweet tea….Hmmmmm, life was good.

At 7:39, because the Mayor had quit giving prizes, Bill had a breakdown. He broke down into tears. "I can't do this anymore! I am tired, cold, hungry, in pain beyond words, and breaking down." Still sobbing, he took a dive off the platform. Bones and Camofrog looked at each other, and went back to the game. The final two.

By the eighth hour, Bones could hardly stand. His hunger was now a constant, throbbing pain in his stomach. He was tired, losing his vision, and had a terrible headache. His legs wouldn't move, in fact, Bones thought he _wouldn't _ever be able to move again. The shore was lit up in lights, everybody was playing card games.

At 8:27 pm, Camofrog spoke. "I like your attitude Bones. You play well."

Bones looked at him. "Thanks'. You too."

"Quit, then. Jump off." Camofrog said.

Bones, surprised, said: "What? Why?"

"Because you are young and can work. I can't. It's over for me."

"But don't you get a pension from the military?" asked Bones.

Camofrog was uncomfortable with this. "Not that's its any of your business, but no, not anymore." His eyes were filling with tears.

"What…What happened?" Bones asked.

"They told me that I "have done my service" and that I was on my own. I have been living on what little money I have in my bank account. I was spending it all trying to pay of my home. I have been thinking about moving for a while now." Camofrog looked embarrassed by this.

"It's nothing to be ashamed about. Hey, I don't have any money either! That's why I'm here. To be honest with you Camofrog, I bet most people in this town aren't wealthy, except for Whitney." said Bones. He was touched by his real show of emotion.

Camofrog found humor in the Whitney comment.

By 9 pm, Camofrog spoke again. "You know Bones, your right. I should do something to help my problem, instead of swimming in it. I don't need this money; I'll make it the old fashioned way: By working for it. Good luck; you won."

He took a few steps forward and jumped of. The shore saw this and was shocked. So was Bones.

"You have to stay up there for five more minutes to win Bones!" yelled the Mayor.

It was a long five minutes. When it was over, and he was declared the winner, by several claps and cheering from the residents, he took his first step in nine hours and 13 minutes. When he reached the edge, the unthinkable happened. From the stress on his legs, and not having any food, he fell, and blacked out. Bones crashed into the water, going five feet under. All he remembered was having been pulled up. He could hear voices, and see lights. That was it.

After the game, he woke up. He was in his bed, and the time read "12:47 am." Someone had brought him home. He looked over to his desk, and saw the check for 30,000 Bells and the gold medal. He did it. He was the grand champion.

Tired, he fell back to sleep. As he was going into slumber land, he thought: _It was totally worth it._

………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: That was the longest chapter so far. I really enjoyed writing it. What will Bones finally decide to do with his winnings? Stay tuned. As always, let me know what you think!


	4. Time Won't Change The Meaning

Chapter 4: Time Won't Change The Meaning

It had been six and a half months since the summer competition, and although Phaffey had changed in the interim, a lot had also remained the same. For Bones, the biggest shock was the departure of Pudge. Pudge, the little golden brown bear who had a zest for life that could not be matched, left the village shortly after the Fall Festival in November. He gave little reason why he left, but rumors had it that his mother was sick and needed help back home. Bones was distraught losing his best friend, but understood the pressures of family illness. And, thought Bones, maybe the new villager moving in would be just as awesome as Pudge.

Bones was wrong.

Chief, a tan wolf with a bad attitude, took the place of Pudge. Roaring into town shortly after Pudge had moved; Chief was every bit the badass that people made him out to be. A dentist that took no mercy on his patients and neighbors, he was also the lead guitarist in a band (named after him), "The Chief's." He played his guitar into the wee hours of the morning, and had Booker summoned to his house because of noise complaints the first night he was in town. Cold, tough and not afraid to get in your face, Chief quickly shook up the hum drum beat of the town.

Jitters had also decided to move, but his departure was strictly financial. Losing his job in the City, the bird with the shiny orange beak could no longer afford to live in Phaffey, and left shortly before the first snow. Replacing Jitters was Alli, a turquoise alligator who shared Whitney's love of fashion, money and gossip. The two quickly became the best of friends.

Despite these changes, the village was the same overall. It was nearing the end of January, with white snow hugging the ground of Phaffey, staying there well into February. The village's economy had improved, and Oskar became the first millionaire in the town with his selling of turnips. Bones had found a job reporting for "The Phaffey Weekly", and was praised for his unbiased approach to town affairs. He was even nominated for a regional journalist award in December. Life was good in Phaffey, with the end of the fun not even in sight.

…

"Oh, I know!" Lily exclaimed, almost falling to the floor, laughter overcoming her little body.

"I see it twice a week; three times if I'm lucky." Bill pounded the table, the gossip flowing from the brown duck.

"When will Chief ever learn? You _**know **_Whitney l-o-v-e-s him, so why doesn't he just give in to the urge to merge?" Oskar said.

Bones was hosting a dinner party, his first, and the gossip (and drinks) was flowing. The four of them, Oskar, Bones, Bill and Lily took turns hosting a monthly dinner party at their respective homes, and this month it was Bones' turn. By and far the most popular party of the group was Oskar's, who threw a lavish seven course meal at his mansion on "the Hill." He was even known to play films at his party in his private study, a luxury that very few animals, let alone humans, knew. But Bones wasn't half bad at throwing a wing ding either.

The four friends sat around a mahogany table, which was a birthday gift from Oskar to Bones. 150 years old, it could easily have seated 15, but tonight pizza boxes and apple cider bottles littered the table top. It was a celebration, and they knew how to celebrate.

"I just can't understand it. I mean, look at it this way: Chief comes to town, pisses everyone off, and now, when someone likes him, he rejects her?" Lily pointed out.

"Well, would _you _date him Lily?" Bill asked.

"Me? No way! Not in a million years." Bill leaned back in his chair, studying the amphibian.

"Maybe were not giving him enough slack. He's only been here a few months, maybe he is a nice guy after all?" asked Oskar. The room went silent, followed by a burst of collective laughter.

"Yea, _nice_, sure buddy, whatever you say. If he's nice, then I'm Tom Nook's wife!" Bones said, trying to catch a breath. Oskar smirked, and looked at Lily. They had been friends the longest out of anyone in the village, and each deeply treasured the friendship. There was a possibility for something there, _something _deeper than friendship, but Oskar discarded any notions. He knew that Bones had a crush on Lily, and for Oskar, who now never had a shortage of women thanks to his money, he valued friendship over love.

"I'll be right back." Bones rose from his chair and walked to his kitchen. He had finally built a kitchen with his prize money; an investment well spent Bones thought. Looking for a soda, he knew what Oskar was thinking. Over the past couple of months, the dog had gotten closer to Phaffey's sole human. When Pudge left, Oskar took Bones out to lunch, encouraging him to speak openly about the sadness of his departed friend. He now trusted Oskar and enjoyed his company; it was in fact Bones' idea to invite Oskar to the dinners. Bones also knew that Oskar, or "Mr. O" as he called him, knew that he had a crush on Lily, and would never pursue her out of respect for him. That in and of itself was the mark of a true friend; a friend Bones was lucky to have. Turning on his feet, Bones made his way back to the table.

The hour was getting late, and the group was growing tired.

"Hey, Bones. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" asked Bill. Personal inquires were not Bill's forte, a fact that piqued Bones' interest.

"Sure."

"Have you ever been in love?" The question shocked Bones, coming from Bill. Lily, maybe, but not Bill, the "meathead" that thought more of weight training than love.

"Um, well…." Bones started, looking around the table. Oskar had his head in his hand, feet resting on the table top. He looked interested, as did Lily, who cocked her head ever so slightly.

"Honestly? No, I haven't. You?"

"Yea, once. Her name was Deena and she was the most beautiful duck I have ever seen. Now that I mention it, I haven't spoken to her in a long time. I wonder what she's up to… Anyway, Oskar, have you?" asked Bill.

"A long, long time ago, yes. It was when I was a teenager, and to tell the truth it was nothing special. You know how those things are when you're that age; they never last. Geez Bill, why so philosophical?" Oskar laughed a little.

"Heard it on the radio," answered Bill. "What about you Lily? Was there anyone special in your life?" Bones took a drink, curious to Lily's answer.

"You know, that's personal. No offense." A safe answer, Bones thought.

The clock behind Bill chimed 11:00 pm.

The conversation had grown quiet, a signal that the party was coming to its end.

"I better get going." Bill said.

"Me too." Lily readily agreed, grabbing her hand bag as she stood.

"Better make that three." Oskar added.

"Thank you all for coming! It was really fun, really. Have a good night, and have a safe trip home." Bones said, and with that, another ritual started. The host shook his guest's hands, flippers or whatever else was offered, gave each a little hug, and watched as the "parties" left his home. Oskar was the last to leave, turned, gave a little smile to Bones, and closed the door.

Bones nodded, locked the portal to the outside world, and turned toward to messy, messy table.

_Forget cleaning this, _he thought. _I'll do it tomorrow. _

The dog made his way up stairs to his bedroom, threw off his clothes, and fell onto the bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.


	5. Leadership In Limbo

Chapter 5: Leadership In Limbo

The news spread like wildfire, from home to home, business to business. They could hardly believe it; most had never even seen it coming. There was shock, confusion, even anger.

Bones was at home, drinking hot chocolate and finishing a story on the Museum for _The Weekly. _Deadline was rapidly approaching, and as the dog put the final touches on what he believed was his finest work, a knock at the door.

"Hang on!" yelled Bones, putting down the pencil and pad of paper. He opened the door to the snowy outside world, and saw Puddles standing at his doorway.

"Mayor…doctor…..next town….come quick…" The pink frog stammered, barely audible over her heavily panting.

"What? Are you alright Puddles?" Bones asked.

"No you idiot! The Mayor *_huff huff* _had a _*wheeze wheeze* _heart attack last _*gasp gasp* _night and is in the _*pant pant* _town over with the doctor." Puddles said.

Mayor Tortimer, a symbol of strength and love, had suffered a heart attack the night before while preparing to deliver his annual "State of the City" address over the radio. Despite his age (68) he looked and acted half his years, a fact that made the heart attack only stranger. Pelly found him passed out on his office floor and called the doctor from the neighboring town, Brookline. Because of Phaffey's size, they had not a doctor of their own. It was a miracle the Mayor did not die.

"Is he alright? Where is he? Can we visit? What can I do?" Bones asked, still shocked.

"There's nothing we can do. We called Brookline; they told us we cannot visit until tomorrow morning. Oskar is having a vigil at his house. Hope you can come. I have to go; Chief doesn't know. See you at Oskar's!" With that the pink frog bounced away, leaving the baffled dog standing at the threshold of his house. Bones turned away and grabbed his coat. Snow still blanketed the ground, a fact that would remain for a couple of more weeks. Bones locked his door headed west; Oskar's house it is.

Bones walked along the paths of Phaffey, looking at the trees and flowers, all the time thinking of the Mayor. The Mayor, a symbol of Phaffey pride, had held his office since the first day the town was founded. Everyone deeply loved the Mayor; he was an enthusiastic presence at town gatherings and civic forums. He would be alright, Bones thought, he knew he would.

Oskar's mansio- _house- _was a beautiful sight to behold. Stunning in its design, it boasted rare flowers and fruit trees that hugged the estate; every shrub had been imported personally by Oskar. Handmade marble gates greeted the visitor, followed by a stone pathway that the visitor took to the house. While the exterior was breathtaking (you really have to see it in person), the interior could not have been matched. Three stories, with Oskar's bedroom taking up the _entire _third floor, the estate consistently scored high according to the Happy Room Academy. Smooth 14 foot Birchwood doors towered over the visitor, and once inside, they were shuffled to the Anteroom (living room, as Oskar would call it). Massive, but cozy, the room was a monument to Phaffey; photos of villagers past and present hung on the walls, a key to the city was displayed prominently under a map of the town. A huge television and ruby red couch were for enjoyment of Oskar and company, a computer and stereo completed the entertainment. Next to the anteroom were guest bedrooms (retro and paradise island were the design theme) that were scarily used- it was a rarity among rarities to be invited overnight by Oskar. Across the hall (original art work proudly adorned the walls) was an "accessory and clothing room". An avid clothes fanatic, the young man had collected thousands upon thousands of Bells worth of clothes, suits, shoes, glasses, umbrellas, coats, hats and other necessities to complete any outfit one may desire. North of the anteroom was a library; Oskar was an avid reader and collector of old books and manuscripts. Upstairs was Oskar's bedroom and the kitchen and two bathrooms. The west wing of the house (if _house _wasthe right term; mausoleum was also suitable) held Oskar's favorite room: a masterpiece by interior design standards. Accessible only by key that the human held, the study was a shining example of design…and wealth. Done in classical furniture with _two _grand pianos and priceless artwork adoring on the walls, the study cost over 300,000 Bells and four months to complete; it was beautiful by every sense on the word. Oskar often studied and pondered his past, present and future in this room; it was where he made all his financial decisions. So it was into this world that the citizens of Phaffey found themselves one cold February afternoon.

Through the gate Bones walked, head held high for the Mayor. Rapping on the door, he was led in by Oskar, who wore a white sport suit with matching shoes. Bones was surprised to find most the town there, talking madly, trying to discover the latest news on the Mayor's condition.

"Oh Bones! I'm SO glad you're here!" Lily threw her arms around the dog, and by the looks of it was taking the news harder than anyone here. Eyes misty, the frog had been good friends with the Mayor since Phaffey's founding, and the Mayor in turn considered Lily a great advisor and friend.

"It's alright, Lily, it really is." Bones comforted the frog, rubbing her back.

"Good to see ya man," Bill said, offering his outstretched wing. Bones took it, shook it, and look around.

Alli and Whitney were huddled in a corner, whispering, occasionally letting forth a burst of laughter. Mable and Sable were talking with Brewster; the owl nodding every so often. Even Tom Nook, who lived on a plane much, much higher than any of the villagers, held forth an audience, explaining how business was booming this month. Puddles still wasn't back spreading the news, and Chief and Camofrog were lost in a world of their own. Nobody knew anything about the Mayor's condition, except that Oskar was phoning the hospital trying to get updates. The gracious human had bought food and drinks for his guests; animals came up and down the stairs bringing back plates full of fruit, roasted fish and expensive drink.

Not sure what proper protocol for a "vigil" was, Bones took a seat, and was promptly approached by Alli and Whitney.

"Hello Bones!" Alli said. The alligator was a sight to behold: 6 feet tall, impeccably dressed with an air of elegance.

"Hey Alli."

"How is everything Bones? You know, for being neighbors, you sure don't visit me very often." said Alli, her dark blue eyes piercing into Bones.

"Oh, well, um… I don't really know, busy, I guess?"

"Really? Well, if you are ever in the neighborhood, stop by! I HIGHLY enjoy your company!" Alli was practically crooning now.

_What a fake piece of work, _Bones thought. He only smiled. Whitney was sitting on the arm rest, her gaze shifting between Alli/Bones to Oskar and Tom Nook.

"Bonesy, babe, have you been in Tom Nooks lately?" Whitney asked.

_Bonesy? Babe? What is wrong with this girl? _"No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"I heard that Tom Nook has stopped paying his nephews!" Whitney was overcome with excitement, with Alli agreeing.

_And I care why? _

"How unfortunate. Say, have you two heard anything about the Mayor?" asked Bones.

"Nope."

"I will have to agree with my esteemed friend Alli." Whitney and Alli giggled like two school girls, oblivious to the reason why they were all there.

_Get me out of here! I can't take anymore of this. _

"Well, you two have a great day and I will see you guys around….sometime." Bones rose from his seat and made his way across the room, getting as far away from the two females as possible.

The clock chimed 6 PM. It had been nearly two hours since the vigil had begun. Chief was alone now, hunkered in a corner, keeping to himself. Bones thought this was the perfect time to get to know the wolf better. Honestly, despite living in Phaffey for three months, Bones hadn't really gotten to know the golden haired Chief, and Chief certainly made no effort to get to know Bones. Besides, Chief lived on the other side of the river, and maybe, just maybe, that would be symbolic of their friendship….

Bones was determined not for that to happen.

"Hello Chief." Bones said, extending his paw. The wolf barely acknowledged the dog.

"Hi."

"Thanks for coming. I know Oskar, Lily and the others really appreciate it."

"Yup."

"How is Phaffey treating you so far?" He was trying to get the wolf to say anything, _anything._

"It's fine."

"Good. I remember when I first moved in…."

"Hm."

"Everyone was so nice. So, um, anyway… I heard you're in a band. What type of music?"

"Rock."

"Oh, like K.K. Slider?"

Chief glared at the dog. "No, **not **like _K.K. Slider." _The wolf almost spit the words out.

"Okay, sorry to offend you. So what do you do for a living?"

"Dentist."

"Oh! FANTASTIC! How nice will it be to have a dentist in town?"

"Great."

"I'm a journalist."

"I know."

"Nice! Do you read my work?"

"Yes. Although because it's full of shit most the time that I am baffled as to why _The Weekly _allows you to continue writing for them." Bones was taken aback. _How dare he? _

"Well, I would like to see YOU try. You know buddy, if you want to actually be liked around here, I would start showing some respect. Good evening sir." Sure, it wasn't a great introduction, but hey, if someone trashes your work, you attack, right?

"Goodbye." Chief had hardly looked up from the magazine he was reading.

"**EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! **Ladies and gentlemen, I have some news!" Oskar was standing on a table, addressing the 15 or so that had gathered in his living room.

"I just got off the phone with the Brookline Hospital, and they told me that the Mayor would be fine!" There was applause in the audience and gasps of relief. Lily looked as if the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders.

"That is great news!" Puddles exclaimed.

"Thank you, thank you. I always knew the Mayor would be just fine. I for one am heading to the hospital right away. Brookline is only 20 minutes down the highway, and I have charted a bus for those who would like to join me. Who's in?" Oskar scanned the group.

"I'm going!" Lily said.

"Me too," agreed Puddles.

Oskar, Lily, Puddles, Bill, Bones, Whitney and Brewster had all volunteered for the trip to Brookline.

"The Hospital's visiting hours end at 10, so let's meet at the gate in… 15 minutes." And as quick as a ray of light, the house was empted. Oskar grabbed his hat, wallet and keys and made his way to the gate. Anyone who traveled to and from Phaffey had to have an up-to-date passport, and those without one faced the consequences: 50,000 Bells in fines.

15 minutes later, the group was gathered. Oskar looked like he could have rolled out of an explorer clothing catalogue; Lily was pretty in a white pea coat and matching handbag; Puddles was dressed head to flipper in pink; Bill wore a tank top and shorts (hospital clothing? I think not); Bones had on a tan pair of cargo pants and a gray jacket; Whitney had on Gracie leopard print (fake, of course) and Brewster, the academic who held _three _PhD's…well, Brewster looked like Brewster. The group boarded the white mini bus Oskar had so graciously rented for the somber occasion.

Comfortable (or as comfortable as one could be on a bus) in his seat, Bones looked out the window. Phaffey was so beautiful; the idea of spring excited the pup. Oskar and Lily sat next to each other, as the unofficial leaders of the village, they occupied the best seat. Bill and Puddles sat together, with Puddles taking endless delight in squeezing Bill's muscles. Whitney and Brewster sat behind them, a strange combination. And Bones sat alone, secure in his solitude.

The bus lurched forward; they were off.


End file.
